Print Demo at Spike Open
Spike Print Studio demo, 29th April 2023.
On Saturday 29th April, as part of Spike Print Studio’s offering for Spike Open, I ran a letterpress and wood engraving printing demonstration. I set some wood engravings of birds into letterpress forms along with some letterpress titles to be inked up by hand and printed on The Gem press, an old letterpress proofing press from probably the early 1900s.
My assistant for the demo was Hammer Chen, who took some of these photographs, provided invaluable assistance and a pair of clean hands! Thanks also to Chloe Barnes for photos and refreshments.
I spoke a bit about the history of wood engraving and how it started as a commercial process, as well as some of the different presses that could also be used for wood engraving and letterpress, including the Vandercook 232p next door in the screen print studio, and the large Albion press standing proud in the first photo. I also spoke about the work of wood engraver Peter Reddick, who was one of the founder members of Spike Print Studio in the 90s.
The prints were produced and sold at the event in aid of Spike Print Studios’ essential equipment which due to the age of some of the presses (1930s motorised Vandercook especially), need highly specialised maintenence and occasionally replacing. The prints are all A5 sized, printed on GF Smith Colorplan and Southbank Smooth, and are for sale for £10 each. We do still have a few at Spike Print Studio which hopefully will be for sale on the website shortly. In the meantime, I can help with purchasing if you get in touch via the contact page.
Spike Print Studio is a fantastic resource to Bristol based printmakers. I have been a member since 2019. You can read more about the studio here as well as browse and perhaps join some of the fantastic courses. Not to be confused with Spike Island, Spike Print Studio is a separate organisation in the same building.